Three journalists arrested since amendment of penal code

Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières - RSF) protested to Jordanian prime minister Ali Abu-al-Ragheb today that more journalists were being detained since amendment of the country's penal code on 9 October last year extended the range of press offences and provided for heavier punishment. Calling for Hashem al-Khalidi to be immediately released, RSF secretary-general Robert Ménard said in a letter that the arrests showed they "cannot freely publish material telling the public about scandals involving the government and also illustrate the bad effects of the new penal code that further restricts press freedom." RSF learns that Hashem al-Khalidi, editor of the weekly Al-Bilad, surrendered to the authorities on 17 March, a few days after an article in his paper about an insurance scandal. His arrest had been ordered the previous day by the chief prosecutor of the state security court, Col. Muhamad Hijazi, on grounds that he had "spread news harming the image of the state and its officials." Hijazi interrogated him and decided to hold him for a further two weeks.The article said there was systematic embezzlement of public funds inside the government, with some ministers, who were not named, making money out of a government decision to double vehicle insurance. Al- Bilad's owner and managing director, Tajeddin Hrub, was arrested a day later, on 18 March, because of his formal legal responsibility for Al-Khalidi's article. He was released the following day. Former member of parliament Tujan Faisal has also been held since March 16 accused of the same offence, after publishing an article on the Arab Times website about the same scandal.